SSDI Qualifying Conditions

To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must have a medical condition that is disabling enough to prevent you from performing any type of work. The disability must be expected to last for at least a year or result in death.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a comprehensive list of SSDI qualifying conditions that meet these requirements. When you apply for SSDI, the SSA will refer to this list when reviewing your application.

What Conditions Does the SSA Consider Disabling?

The SSA’s Listing of Impairments, also known as the Blue Book, is an online publication designed to show physicians and other health care providers what medical information the SSA needs to evaluate disability applications as quickly as possible. It provides details about the medical conditions the SSA considers disabilities. These conditions are divided into 14 categories.

1.00 Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders are disorders that affect the bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissues in the body. They impact the structural components of the spine, such as ligaments, discs, and vertebrae, but not the spinal cord. Examples of qualifying musculoskeletal disorders include:

2.00 Special Senses and Speech

Impairments to the special senses and speech include:

Total blindness
Vision worse than 20/200 with corrective lenses
Severe hearing loss
Tinnitus
Balance problems
Vertigo
Inability to speak

3.00 Respiratory Disorders

Respiratory disorders are lung-related conditions that affect your ability to breathe. They may cause shortness of breath, chest pain, a persistent cough, and other respiratory symptoms. The Blue Book includes the following respiratory disorders:

4.00 Cardiovascular System Disorders

Cardiovascular system disorders affect the heart or blood vessels, including veins, arteries, and capillaries. They can also affect the lymphatic system. Common cardiovascular system disorders listed in the Blue Book include:

5.00 Digestive Disorders

Digestive disorders are conditions that affect organs like the liver, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract. Listed disorders of the digestive system include:

Crohn’s disease
Cirrhosis of the liver
Inflammatory bowel disease
Intestinal failure
Disorders that cause excessive weight loss
Gastrointestinal hemorrhaging

6.00 Genitourinary Disorders

Genitourinary disorders are dysfunctions in the kidneys and urinary tract. The Blue Book listings include the following genitourinary disorders:

7.00 Hematological Disorders

Hematological disorders affect the blood, including the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Listed disorders include:

8.00 Skin Disorders

This category refers to genetic photosensitivity disorders, burns, and chronic conditions of the skin or mucous membranes. Listed skin disorders include:

Burns that are no longer being managed surgically
Chronic skin infections
Psoriasis
Dermatitis
Genetic photosensitivity
Bullous disease
Bacterial or fungal lesions caused by diabetes

9.00 Endocrine Disorders

Endocrine disorders affect the glands that produce hormones. These glands can produce too much or too little, which can affect how the rest of the body functions. Endocrine disorders listed in the Blue Book include:

10.00 Congenital Disorders That Affect Multiple Body Systems

Congenital disorders are conditions you are born with as a result of a genetic abnormality or an injury during gestation or birth. The Blue Book includes the following examples:

11.00 Neurological Disorders

A neurological disorder is a condition that affects the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Neurological disorders listed in the Blue Book include:

Epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
Cerebral palsy
Multiple sclerosis
Brain injuries
Spinal cord impairment
Early onset Alzheimer’s disease

12.00 Mental Disorders

Mental disorders are conditions that affect emotional regulation, cognition, or behavior so severely that they impair normal functioning. The Blue Book includes numerous mental disorders separated into 11 categories:

Neurocognitive disorders
Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
Depressive, bipolar, and related disorders
Intellectual disorders
Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders
Somatic symptoms and related disorders
Personality and impulse-control disorders
Autism spectrum disorder
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Eating disorders
Trauma- and stressor-related disorders

13.00 Cancer

Cancer is the uncontrollable division of abnormal cells that form tumors and spread throughout the body. The Blue Book includes the following examples:

14.00 Immune System Disorders

Immune system disorders affect the body’s ability to fight off infections. They can lead to recurrent infections, fatigue, pain, weight loss, and organ damage. Immune system disorders listed in the Blue Book include:

What If My Condition Is Not Listed in the SSA Blue Book?

The Listing of Impairments is not an exhaustive list of qualifying disabilities. It includes conditions that the SSA has already researched and determined to be qualifying.

However, if you have a condition that is not included on the list, you may still qualify for SSDI. The reviewer will simply go to the next step and ensure your disability is disabling enough to prevent you from working and is expected to last at least a year or is terminal. There are many qualifying conditions that are not listed, including:

By the same token, having a listed condition doesn’t guarantee you will qualify. The SSA could still deny your application if it determines you can work or that your condition will last less than a year.

What Are SSA Presumptive Disabilities?

A presumptive disability is an easily identifiable disability that normally qualifies with limited or no medical evidence. You may qualify for expedited payments if you are applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and have a disability that is included on the SSA’s list of presumptive disabilities. Examples include:

Amputation of a leg at the hip
Total deafness
Total blindness
Reliance on a wheelchair, cane, or crutches for mobility
Stroke with long-term disabling effects
Disabling cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or muscle atrophy
Down syndrome
Intellectual or neurodevelopmental impairments that keep you from functioning without assistance
Lou Gehrig’s disease

If you have one of these conditions, you may be able to receive your payments immediately for up to six months while you wait for the SSA to approve your application. If your application is denied, you will not have to repay the benefits. Presumptive benefits are not available to SSDI applicants.

We Can Answer Your Questions

If you have questions about whether you might qualify for SSDI, we can provide the information you need and connect you with a knowledgeable attorney who can help you apply or appeal a denial.

Working with an attorney can dramatically increase your chances of being approved. Among other things, they can help you determine whether you have an SSDI qualifying condition. Contact us today to get support.

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